Derbyshire police planning for ‘worst case scenarios’ as coronavirus fears grow

Under the Government’s Covid-19 plans, UK police forces could be reduced to only dealing with very serious crimes and maintaining public order if they lose a ‘significant’ amount of staff to the illness.

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A Derbyshire Constabulary spokesperson said: “The response to Covid-19 is being led by Public Health England and we are working closely with them and the Government.

“This is a rapidly evolving situation and we are providing our officers and staff with the latest guidance and advice.

“We are working with our partners to plan for reasonable worst case scenarios, which is something we are sure the public would expect and want us to do.”

Covid-19, which originated in China, has so far spread to more than 60 countries and claimed more than 4,000 lives across the world.

The number of Covid-19 cases in the UK reached 382 on Tuesday, a rise of 63 since the previous day, with a sixth person confirmed to have died after contracting the virus.

According to Derbyshire County Council, there are currently four confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Derbyshire – three in the High Peak and one in Erewash – and all picked up the infection from abroad.

Dean Wallace, the council’s director of public health, said: “Each and every one of us has a key role to play in the management of coronavirus and it is important that we provide people with the right information, particularly as we prepare for measures that could have more impact on our daily lives.

“The best prevention measure is by practising good hand hygiene – washing your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds – and making sure you use a tissue if you sneeze, bin it then wash your hands afterwards to kill the virus.

“By doing this, you can help protect yourself as well as your family and friends.”

A council spokesperson added: “The risk to the general public of Coronavirus remains low and we’re working with the NHS, government, district and borough councils as well as Public Health England to ensure the people of Derbyshire are protected and kept well informed.”

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